Stock markets are setting records daily. Ignore it! “The market will fluctuate.” That old bit of market wisdom is ascribed to Gilded Age financier J.P. Morgan, and is as true today as it was a hundred years ago. The primal emotions of fear and greed are ultimately...
Don’t wait until the last day of February! Typically, you’ll get the RRSP contribution song and dance starting somewhere in January and lasting until the end of February. It’s really just a marketing push by financial institutions to scare you into giving them...
Tips for post-divorce financial planning The stress of a divorce, with its hearings over settlements and custody arrangements if there are children involved, can quickly eclipse any thoughts of financial planning for yourself. But it’s something you shouldn’t...
What’s a “covered call write” and how do managers use it? Portfolio managers increasingly use stock options to enhance income, using something called a “covered call writing” strategy. But to many investors this sounds mysterious and slightly risky. In fact, when...
Individual Pension Plans a tax-efficient retirement savings tool Given the current effort by the federal government to clamp down on some of the income “splitting and sprinkling” tax benefits of Canadian-Controlled Private Corporations (CCPCs), there’s definitely a...
How RESPs pay out for post-secondary expenses If you have kids going off to college or university this fall, you’ll be tapping into any savings you’ve made through a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP). But those payments aren’t treated like a bank account....
Read Robyn’s advice on how to stop being broke Young singles are a special breed. Definitely independent, confident in their ability to fend for themselves. And with a career underway, they’re thinking about growing that nest-egg for their retirement years. But how...
Bond ETFs retreat as rates edge up You might have noticed that the shorter-term returns of the broader index-tracking bond ETFs, such as the iShares Core Canadian Universe Bond Index ETF (TSX: XBB), have been sliding recently. Is it time to switch out of passive,...
Make paying down your student loan a priority If you just graduated from university or college, you may or may not have a job in your field of study. What you probably do have is a pretty hefty student loan debt load. Many students wonder how they’re going to pay...
Active versus passive investment styles The “couch potato” portfolio is so named because it takes a “passive” approach to investing. It is predicated on the theory that markets are efficient, or smarter, than any single person. Studies have shown that the passive,...
A little pre-nup financial advice Young couples getting ready to tie the knot this summer typically have a lot to talk about – guest lists, invitations, venues, honeymoon, and all the details that go into planning a wedding. Money often isn’t part of the...
Professionals bring unique skills to the table It seems like there are “financial advisors” around every corner. Trouble is, they all seem to offer different services and have different qualifications. And they all charge different fees. Do you really need a lawyer...